cluster
B2neutral (used across formal, academic, and informal contexts)
Definition
Meaning
A close group of similar things gathered or occurring together.
A grouping of data points in statistics, a group of consonants in linguistics, a group of computers working together, or a small group of people with shared characteristics.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Typically implies a grouping that is dense, tight, or closely packed. Can refer to both concrete/physical groupings (e.g., grapes) and abstract groupings (e.g., data, events). The verb form means to come together or form such a group.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in core meaning or usage. Minor variations in common collocations due to regional topics (e.g., 'cluster bomb' vs. 'cluster munitions' debate). Spelling is identical.
Connotations
Equally neutral in both varieties. In business, 'cluster' (e.g., 'business cluster', 'innovation cluster') is a standard economic geography term in both regions.
Frequency
Comparably frequent, with slightly higher technical/academic use in both.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
N (cluster of N)V (cluster together/around)ADJ (clustered)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Cluster bomb (literal and figurative for something that causes multiple problems)”
- “Pearl-cluster (a specific jewellery style)”
- “Not a standard idiom-rich word.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to a geographic concentration of interconnected businesses (e.g., 'Silicon Valley is a tech cluster').
Academic
Used in statistics (cluster analysis), astronomy (star cluster), linguistics (consonant cluster), and sociology.
Everyday
Used for groups of objects (grapes, houses) or people standing close together.
Technical
In computing (server cluster), medicine (disease cluster), and military (cluster munitions).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The villagers clustered around the noticeboard.
- The data points clustered into two distinct groups.
- Birds often cluster together for warmth.
American English
- Reporters clustered around the senator after the hearing.
- The startups clustered in the city's old warehouse district.
- Problems seemed to cluster at the end of the project.
adverb
British English
- Not a standard adverb form. Use 'in clusters' (e.g., 'The flowers grew in clusters').
American English
- Not a standard adverb form. Use 'closely together' or 'in clusters'.
adjective
British English
- Cluster munitions are controversial.
- They performed a cluster analysis on the survey results.
- The village had a cluster development design.
American English
- She suffers from cluster headaches.
- The cluster bomblets were found scattered.
- The study used a cluster sampling method.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Look at that big cluster of red flowers.
- The children clustered around the teacher.
- Grapes grow in a cluster.
- A small cluster of houses stood by the lake.
- The students clustered their desks into groups.
- There was a cluster of mistakes at the top of the page.
- Economists studied the business cluster in the northern region.
- The algorithm identified a cluster of users with similar preferences.
- Stars are often born in clusters within nebulas.
- The epidemiologists investigated a cluster of rare disease cases in the suburb.
- Her research focuses on consonant cluster simplification in second-language acquisition.
- The servers are configured in a failover cluster to ensure high availability.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a bunch of grapes CLinging US TERribly close together – they form a CLUSTER.
Conceptual Metaphor
TOGETHER IS CLOSE (Proximity indicates group membership/relationship); SIMILARITY IS PROXIMITY (Similar things are conceptualised as being near each other).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'кластер' (klaster) – a direct borrowing used in very technical contexts (IT, economics). The English word is broader. The Russian 'гроздь' (grozd') is specific to grapes/berries. 'Скопление' (skopleniye) is a closer general translation.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'cluster' for a linear sequence (e.g., a queue).
- Pronouncing it as /ˈklaʊstə(r)/ (confusion with 'clout').
- Overusing in non-technical writing where simpler words like 'group' or 'bunch' suffice.
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'consonant cluster' primarily used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is neutral; appropriate in both formal and informal contexts, though its technical senses are formal.
A 'cluster' implies things are physically close or densely packed together, while a 'group' is more general and can be organised or abstract without physical proximity.
Yes, commonly. It means to come or bring together into a cluster (e.g., 'People clustered around the speaker', 'We clustered the relevant files').
A very painful type of headache that occurs in cyclical patterns or 'clusters', with periods of frequent attacks followed by remission periods.
Explore